In the latest twist in Young Thug's trial, the rap star's co-defendant agrees to a plea deal

A co-defendant in the racketeering and weapons conspiracy trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug accepted a plea deal Tuesday after days of speculation about whether Georgia's longest-running criminal case could end in a mistrial.

Quamarvious Nichols, 29, changed his plea to guilty for conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law. In return, Fulton County prosecutors agreed to dismiss all other charges against him, including murder, engaging in gang activity and illegal firearm possession.

Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker accepted the plea deal and a negotiated sentence of 20 years in prison, but noted that he would only have to serve seven years of probation, including credit for time served.

“Stay out of all sorts of trouble,” Whitaker advised Nichols, who is about to turn 30. “Make this a birthday gift for yourself, your wife and your family.”

Meanwhile, the trial of Young Thug, the Grammy-winning rapper whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, and the four other co-defendants is expected to resume.

The latest twist comes after Whitaker said last week that she would consider a motion for a mistrial following a prosecutorial misstep involving Nichols.

During the testimony of state witness Wunnie Lee, a rapper known as Slimelife Shawty, prosecutors had him review social media posts to the jury a week ago. But Lee accidentally received an unredacted version of a post that referenced the hashtag #freequa, which may apply to Nichols. The article was edited for the jury.

But by naming Qua, prosecutors allowed jurors to assume that their co-defendants were incarcerated, a detail that should not be shared because it is considered prejudicial.

“We're not going to be able to ring that bell, your honor,” Nicole Westmoreland, an attorney for Nichols, called for a mistrial.

A reason why Fulton County prosecutors agreed to a plea deal with Nichols now — more than two years after the first charges against him and his other co-defendants were announced — was not discussed in court Tuesday.

Young Thug and the others have been in prison since 2022 on charges of conspiracy and criminal activity in street gangs, as well as other firearms and drug-related charges.

The indictment accuses Young Thug, 32, of leading a street gang called Young Slime Life (YSL), whose members committed illegal and violent acts including murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking and car theft. Initially, 27 other co-defendants were also named – an unusually high number for one case.

The trial began with jury selection in January 2023 but dragged on through several delays.

Opening statements finally began last November, after several defendants had already taken plea deals while others chose to be tried separately from Young Thug.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had presented the case against Young Thug and his associates – who were accused of being affiliated with the national Bloods gang – as a way to combat the relentless violence in their south Atlanta neighborhood .

The defendants have denied being part of a street gang and critics claim the RICO law is being unfairly used against black hip-hop artists.